BARCLAYS BANK HANDED OVER NEARLY #60,000 OF THE SA

BARCLAYS BANK HANDED OVER NEARLY #60,000 OF THE SAVOY

HOTEL’S MONEY BECAUSE A CON MAN ASKING FOR IT HAD A POSH

VOICE, A COURT HEARD TODAY (THURS).

BEFORE THE ERROR AT THEIR FLEET STREET BRANCH WAS SPOTTED

THE MONEY WAS WITHDRAWN NEVER TO SEEN AGAIN, SAID MR NIGEL

SWEENEY, PROSECUTING, AT WILLESDEN CROWN COURT,

ON JUNE 20 LAST A MANAGER AT THE GOSLINGS BRANCH RECEIVED A

LETTER APPARENTLY FROM THE FINANCIAL CONTROLLER OF THE SAVOY ASKING

FOR #58,000 TO BE TRANSFERRED TO A LLOYDS ACCOUNT UNDER A RAPID

TRANSFER SYSTEM, HE SAID.

THE LETTER WAS FOLLOWED BY TWO PHONE CALLS FROM ‘A PERSON

WITH A RESPECTABLE ENGLISH-SOUNDING ACCENT EXUDING THE SORT OF

CONFIDENCE AND AUTHORITY ONE WOULD EXPECT FROM THE FINANCIAL

CONTROLLER OF THE SAVOY,’ ADDED MR SWEENEY.

THE MONEY WAS TRANFERRED THAT DAY, A THURSDAY, AND BY THE

TIME THE SAVOY ACTED ON MONDAY IT HAD BEEN WITHDRAWN IN CASH AND

TRAVELLERS CHEQUES.

THE FRONT MAN OF THE ‘VERY CLEVER FRAUD,’ CALLING HIMSELF IN

”CHIEF OSENI”, AND CLAIMING TO BE 18TH IN LINE TO A NIGERIAN TRIBAL

THRONE WAS TAIWO ONABANJO, 29, A BUSINESSMAN LIVING WITH VARIOUS

FRIENDS IN SOUTH EAST LONDON WHEN ARRESTED LAST SEPTEMBER, SAID

COUNSEL.

ONABANJO, DRESSED IN TRIBAL ROBES, OPENED AN ACCOUNT AT THE

PICCADILLY BRANCH OF LLOYDS LAST JUNE.

HE RETURNED SEVERAL TIMES OVER

THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND WITHDREW THE CASH.

HE WAS TRACED BECAUSE THE LETTER OF REFERENCE HE USED WAS

FROM SOMEONE HE KNEW WHO IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFED HIM TO POLICE, ADDED

MR SWEENEY.

HE DENIED SEVEN CHARGES OF DECEPTION BUT WAS CONVICTED ,

JAILED FOR THREE YEARS AND RECOMMENDED FOR DEPORTATION.

DESPITE HIS CLAIM THAT HE WAS ‘USED BY OTHERS’ JUDGE JOHN

WORTHINGTON TOLD HIM ‘ I SAM QUITE SATISFIED THAT YOU KNEW EXACTLY

WHAT WAS GOING ON .

YOU PLAYED A PRINCIPAL PART AND THEREBY YOU

OBTAINED A LARGE SUM OF MONEY.

‘

LATER A BARCLAYS SPOKESMAN REFUSED TO SAY IF ANY STAFF

HAD BEEN DISCIPLINED OF IF NEW INSTRUCTIONS HAD BEEN ISSUED.

‘WE DO NOT COMMENT ON INDIVIDUAL CASES IN ANY WAY.

OUR

INTERNAL PROCEDURES ARE UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW BUT WE DO NOT DISCUSS

THEM.

‘

ENDS

NNNN

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BTI TELEX PLUS

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